Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide! (20 Affordable and Free Things to Do)

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Planning a trip to Nevada? Check out this Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide + what to know before you go!

Are you ready for another ultimate Bucket List Trip? It’s time to plan your visit to Las Vegas, Nevada!

This comprehensive Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide will show you the best free or cheap family friendly things to do + nearby destinations for your visit. You’ll learn the best budget tips, what to bring, when to visit, and the top free things to do!

Whether you’re looking for a quick city getaway, or want to plan the the ultimate Southwest Road Trip with a stop in Vegas, you’re going to love these brilliant money saving tips! There are so many fun hotels to visit with epic lobbies, outside free attractions, and incredible restaurants. Let the fun begin!

Are you ready to Viva Las Vegas? Here’s what you’ll need to do…

Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide

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Take Pictures at the Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Sign

Address: 5200 S Las Vegas Blvd

Located on the southern end of the Strip, just south of Mandalay Bay, you’ll find the iconic ‘Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada’ sign. You know, the one you’ve seen in all the movies? Take a few minutes to stop at the sign and get your picture taken here. There is a small parking lot, and sometimes a short line to wait your turn for your chance to take a photo. Don’t miss this free attraction on your trip to Las Vegas!

Visit the Bellagio Conservatory, Botanical Gardens, Flower Glass Ceiling, and Fountains

Address: 3600 S Las Vegas Blvd

The incredible Bellagio hotel is most famous for its large fountain and lakes outside, but also offers many more interesting free things to see as well inside! A visit to the Bellagio is a must on your trip to Vegas!

First, you’ll want to head inside the lobby and look up to check out the Flower Glass Ceiling. Just look at the amazing detail…

Then, head down the hallway towards the Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. The gardens are FREE to walk around, and are loaded with rare and exotic plants and flowers that are beyond breathtaking!

And of course, you can’t miss the Bellagio Fountains! The most stunning time to see the fountain attraction is at night, when the music-synchronized fountains are lit up. Arrive early so you have a good spot by the railing to view the FREE fountain attraction, and enjoy the epic show!

The show runs every half hour from 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. – midnight. The times differ on Saturdays and holidays, however: The fountain show runs every half hour from noon – 8 p.m. and every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. – midnight. Finally, on Sundays: Fountain show times begin at 11 a.m. and run every half hour until 7 p.m.

Fountains of Bellagio

Paris Las Vegas – Eiffel Tower, Arc de Triomph

Address: 3655 S Las Vegas Blvd

The Paris Las Vegas Hotel is right across the Strip from the Bellagio Hotel, and you can spot the iconic Eiffel Tower Replica from many blocks away, making it easy to find your way here!

Don’t miss the Arc de Triomph Replica, which you can see for free. It’s located behind the Paris hot air balloon sign.

And of course, you can’t miss an epic trip up into the Eiffel Tower for a panoramic view over the Bellagio Fountains and the Strip. If you go up at night, the view is simply incredible! Check out the pricing Here.

Mandalay Bay – Shark Reef Aquarium

Address: 3950 S Las Vegas Blvd

This large hotel is conveniently located just one block north of the iconic “Welcome to Fabulous Las vegas” sign (above). Inside of the hotel you’ll find the Shark Reef Aquarium, which is one of the largest aquariums in North America! It features over 2,000 different animals, including 15 shark species, manta rays, a Komodo dragon, and more!

For prices, opening/closing times, and more, click Here.

The Mirage – Volcano

Address: 3400 S Las Vegas Blvd

The Mirage Hotel is located about 1/2 mile north of Caesar’s Palace. The epic Mirage Volcano show is something not to be missed. With fountains and flames that are synchronized to dramatic music, watching this volcano ‘erupt’ is an experience you won’t forget! Plus… it’s FREE!

The Volcano show runs every night at 8:00, 9:00, and 10:00 PM. Shows may be cancelled if there are high winds.

Luxor Hotel – The Titanic Exhibit

Address: 3900 S Las Vegas Blvd

It’s hard to miss this this Egypt-themed hotel, which features a massive Pyramid shaped hotel and the Sphinx statue replica out in the front!

Inside the hotel you’ll find the Titanic Artifact Exhibit, which is a replica of the sunken ship and also features many artifacts that were recovered. Now this is one of the pricier attractions in the city, so you will need to budget accordingly. You can view prices Here.

New York New York – Statue of Liberty, Big Apple Coaster, Coney Island Emporium, Shake Shack

Address: 3790 S Las Vegas Blvd

One of Las Vegas’ most iconic hotels, the “New York – New York” also happens to have many free or cheap things to see! Before entering, you can look up and marvel at the Statue of Liberty and New York Skyline replicas on the outside.

Then, for a totally thrilling experience, you can ride the Big Apple Coaster, where you’ll hop aboard a New York themed taxi car and race around replicas of New York’s iconic replicas!

After the thrilling ride, you can enjoy the wide range of different family-friendly arcade games at the Coney Island Emporium.

If you need a bite to eat, the Shake Shack at the northern end of the hotel won’t disappoint! You’ll find reasonably priced and incredibly delicious burgers, fries, shakes, and more.

LINQ Hotel – Outdoor Mall, The High Roller Ferris Wheel

Address: 3545 S Las Vegas Blvd

Outside the LINQ hotel, which is 1 1/2 blocks north of Paris Las Vegas, you’ll find a nice outdoor mall right off the Strip, with affordable stores and restaurants to choose from.

If you’re looking for panoramic views over Las Vegas, then look no further than the High Roller ferris wheel! At 550 feet tall, the enclosed pods offer sweeping views over the entire city.

Caesar’s Palace – Forum Shops and Moving Statues

Address: 3570 S Las Vegas Blvd

The towering Caesar’s Palace hotel is home to the Forum Shops shopping mall, another great place to get your shopping fix. Inside of the mall, don’t miss the Moving Statues show. It’s located right outside of the Cheesecake Factory and Nike store, and the FREE 7-minute show takes place at 3:15 and 7:15 PM daily.

The Venetian – Gondola Ride, Grand Canal Shoppes

Address: 3355 S Las Vegas Blvd

This beautiful hotel is home to many Venice-themed replicas including the Rialto Bridge, St Mark’s Campanile, canals, and more! The Grand Canal Shoppes, the hotel’s large indoor shopping mall, is a great place to escape the Summer heat and browse the different clothing and souvenir shops.

For a truly memorable experience, pay to hop aboard a gondola and enjoy Gondola Ride right in the middle of Las Vegas!

Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide: When to Visit

The best time to visit would be during the shoulder seasons (March-April; October-November) when the temperature averages between 60-70 degrees.

During the summer months (May-September) the heat can be intense, but with a little preparation, you can enjoy discounted prices on hotels, airfare!

The winter months (December-February) are cool with temperatures in the 50’s or 60’s, but hotel and airfare prices will be at a premium.

You can definitely visit Las Vegas any time of the year and have a great time, but the reason why I personally recommend the Spring and the Fall is because the weather in the nearby National and State parks is optimal for hiking. These would be the best times to go hiking in the Valley of Fire, Zion, Bryce, and the Grand Canyon! {see below for more details}

Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide: Getting There and Getting Around

How to Get Free Airfare to Las Vegas:

Flying to Las Vegas? Why pay, when you can score FREE airfare?!? When you use Swagbucks, you can get free gift cards for Southwest Airlines and Delta, which both fly into Las Vegas (McCarran International Airport). Overall, this is the the best way to reduce the cost of your airfare to Las Vegas. I’ve been a member of Swagbucks for about 10 years now, and it’s still one of my favorite ways to earn Free airline gift cards!

Here’s how it works:

Sign up with Swagbucks
Then start earning Swagbucks SB Points. There are so many EASY ways to earn Swagbucks! You can earn by Searching the Web {just like you would using Google}, Taking Surveys, Using Coupons, Shopping Online, Watching Videos, etc. I typically earn an easy $25 each month on Swagbucks!
Cash in your Swagbucks SB Points for Free Southwest Airlines Gift Cards and Free Delta Gift Cards!

How to Get Free Uber Rides in Las Vegas:

If you’re flying into Las Vegas for a quick city break and you don’t plan on renting a car, you can simply call an Uber to come pick you up from the airport and take you to your hotel. My favorite trick is to cash in Swagbucks points for Free Uber gift cards!

Here’s how it works:

Sign up with Swagbucks
Then start earning Swagbucks SB Points. There are so many EASY ways to earn Swagbucks! You can earn by Searching the Web {just like you would using Google}, Taking Surveys, Using Coupons, Shopping Online, Watching Videos, etc. I typically earn an easy $25 each month on Swagbucks!
Cash in your Swagbucks SB Points for Free Uber Gift Cards!

Walking Around in Las Vegas:

As long as you stay in a hotel on the Strip, you can easily walk to most of the city’s attractions, or you could take the monorail during the extremely hot summer months! (See Below for Monorail details)

Using the Monorail in Las Vegas:

Don’t forget: you can always choose to ride the air-conditioned monorail if you’re here during the extremely hot summer months! The monorail runs on the west side of the strip from MGM Grand to the SLS hotel. Here is a list of the stops, from South to North:

MGM Grand Station
Bally’s and Paris Station
Flamingo and Caesar’s Palace Station
Harrah’s & The LINQ Station
Convention Center Station
Westgate Station
SLS Station

You can find the monorail timetables and prices Here.

Renting a Car in Las Vegas:

However, if you do rent a car, OR if you’re driving to Las Vegas, then you can drive to all of the incredible National and State Parks nearby!

Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide: Day Trips and Nearby Destinations

Hoover Dam (Approx. 1 Hour from Las Vegas)

You can view this dam from the sidewalk on the Mike O’ Callaghan – Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, or you can choose to go on a tour of the inside. This iconic – and ginormous – dam is responsible for holding up Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the US!

Valley of Fire State Park (Approx. 1 Hour from Las Vegas)

Just an hour’s drive from the busy Las Vegas Strip will take you out to the tranquil Valley of Fire. This Nevada state park offers a wide variety of things to see in a compact area, making it a fun day trip from the city!

For everything to see and do in the Valley of Fire, as well as tips on when to visit and what to bring, check out my Valley of Fire Hikes and Tips post.

Fire Cave – Valley of Fire State Park

Atlatl Rock – Valley of Fire

“The Cabins” – Valley of Fire State Park

Elephant Rock – Valley of Fire

Mouse’s Tank Road – Valley of Fire State Park

Zion National Park (Approx. 2 1/2 Hours from Las Vegas)

With dramatic red cliff walls, beautiful slot canyons, thundering waterfalls, dreamy hikes, and incredible wildlife, Zion National Park gives quite the glorious welcome into Utah!

For information on what to see and do in Zion, check out my comprehensive Zion National Park Hikes and Travel Tips post.

Bryce Canyon National Park (Approx. 2 Hours Past Zion; or 4 Hours from Las Vegas)

With a huge amphitheater full of orangish-red ‘hoodoos’ (tall pillars of rock caused by erosion), Bryce Canyon is quite the epic national park! There are a handful of viewpoints and trails where you can see these crazy rock formations.

For information on what to see and do in Bryce Canyon, check out my ultimate Bryce Canyon Travel Tips post.

Grand Canyon National Park (Approx. 4 Hours 45 Minutes to Grand Canyon Village)

To put it simply, the Grand Canyon is breathtaking! There’s no other place that compares to its vastness. Seeing the Grand Canyon is a bucket list destination itself, so adding it to your Las Vegas trip is the best of all worlds!

For information on what to see and do in the Grand Canyon, check out my comprehensive Arizona Grand Canyon Travel Tips post.

Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide: What to Bring

Okay, now to the essentials! If you’re going to do any hiking whatsoever, you’ll need to bring some sturdy hiking shoes. Flip flops are the perfect casual footwear for around town. Also, the sun can be pretty intense year-round, so don’t forget a pair of sunglasses.

Now that you’ve seen this Las Vegas Budget Travel Guide, don’t stop now! Keep planning your next travel adventure with these Southwest and California travel tips below…